Hammer saw owners: Questions on the optional Hammer power feeder

[scott vroom]

I've read that the cut edge using a slider is glue line ready, no edge jointing necessary.

I'm considering a K3 winner with the optional Hammer power feeder for cutting long, narrow face frame boards. I'm wondering if the cut edge on boards run through the feeder are of the same quality as those cut using the slider?

I know Rod has this setup, hopefully he and others can chime in

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

"Theoretically", if the fence is stable and the feeder dialed in to keep the material absolutely tight to the fence without deflecting the fence, you should get a similar quality rip cut on the narrower material as long as the material is flattened and thicknessed prior.

That said, I'm interested in hearing what folks who actually do this have to say! "Theoretically" doesn't always match reality.

[Mike Wilkins]

Try some cuts on the slider before ordering a power feeder. Using a glue-line rip blade I have made glue-ready cuts by using clamps on the slider to rip boards and edge the also. You might not have to have a feeder unless you are making a boat-load of rips for an extremely large project.
The clamps on the slider are the key for making this happen (at least in my case).

[scott vroom]

Try some cuts on the slider before ordering a power feeder. Using a glue-line rip blade I have made glue-ready cuts by using clamps on the slider to rip boards and edge the also. You might not have to have a feeder unless you are making a boat-load of rips for an extremely large project.
The clamps on the slider are the key for making this happen (at least in my case).

Hi Mike,

I plan to use the fence as a reference on rips cuts, using a shoe and no clamps as shown in these 2 vids:

First vid fast fwd to 1:35. He's making narrow repeatable cuts using the shoe and no clamps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3EkVge5XhE

Second vid fast fwd to 11:55...he's straight lining a board using the shoe and a clamp followed by a rip cut using the fence for reference and the shoe on the slider, no clamps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZoRaBn-n70

That setup works fine unless you're ripping boards longer than the capacity of your wagon stroke. For longer cuts, the power feeder seems like a good (if not expensive) alternative to standing behind the blade to make the cuts the old fashion way.

[Ryan Mooney]

Just to complicate the discussion slightly...

There is also the "HAMMER(r) Trimming Equipment" option:
http://us.feldershop.com/en-US/en-US...Equipment.html

Which is basically a set of slides that ride in the slot on the sliding table. You screw them to a piece of plywood and then use that as the "rip table". This effectively lengthens the sliding table to ~somewhat more~ depending on how large of a piece of plywood you use (up to the sag limit and how much you can keep the slides engaged in the table. I believe that works out to somewhere around 10'+-.

Its not a replacement to the power feeder but it is an interesting alternative in some cases. IMHO generally more useful for ripping large/heavy bits than narrow/thin bits.

I have been personally generally unhappy with the height of the sliding table interfering with traditional rip cuts (its enough that the result is most definitely NOT glue line ready in my case.. YMMV) but haven't yet screwed up the courage to try and lower it as it looks complicated... On the plus side the cut quality using the slider and the features it offers have (also imho) more than made up for it.

[scott vroom]

Ryan, I don't yet own a slider, but it seems that as long as the stock is flat against the sliding table the cut will be a perfect 90 degrees. What issue have you encountered?

[John Lankers]

A steady feedrate is what you want and you can get that with the power feeder on the right side of the blade with the fence in the low position (the offcut piece on the left of the blade). Having said that, I use my "Fritz and Franz" jig to make rip cuts down to 1/16", it is just as accurate and much quicker to set up.
Edit: I use "Silent Power Silver" blades.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Ryan, I don't yet own a slider, but it seems that as long as the stock is flat against the sliding table the cut will be a perfect 90 degrees. What issue have you encountered?

I will echo Ryan's comments - the slider wagon is slightly higher than the right side (fixed) table (on purpose), but this means that if you're ripping a narrow piece, it might be at a small angle (relative to the rip fence), and you won't get a square cut.

[Chris Parks]

I only use the slider to rip, the rip fence lives on the shelf and in its place I have a small length of rip fence extrusion to use as a measuring stop. I can't remember when I last used a full length rip fence.

[scott vroom]

Ryan, thanks for that link to the 3000mm T-track. Looks ideal for straight lining lumber longer than the wagon stroke. As an aside, here's a couple of pics of my spur of the moment solution to straight line 10' boards on my Griz. MDF base using L brackets to hold the stock flat, referenced off the fence. Crude but on short notice it worked great.

[Andy Giddings]

I do the same as John - use an F & F jig for anything that the cross cut fence won't handle (great looking jig by the way, John!). I do have a power feeder but have not used it on the saw.

I don't think you would get glue up ready surfaces (if that's your goal) due to small alignment issues referred to earlier and other areas (eg the Hammer feeder mount is not solid cast iron, but pressed steel so there would be some flex there). I think you would still need to joint and plane just as Marius does in the videos you linked earlier

[Rick Fisher]

I have a slider.. I don't think the aluminum slider is higher than the cast table, but I should check .. For straight line rips, the blade quality is #1 .. clamps are really helpful .. Hold the wood super still and slide it through .. I use a 100 tooth negative kerf blade .. Its technically a cross cut blade, but it leaves a glue line finish..

I wouldn't order a feeder on a slider unless it had a shaper built in .. Others may .. I dunno

[Chris Parks]

I glue straight from the saw using a Forrest 2 blade and the glue line is invisible for all intents and purposes. I just hand hold the panel being cut on the sliding table and the crosscut fence set at the leading end of the slider. In fact I don't own any hold down clamps at all for that matter and it has never caused me any problems so far. If I was gang cutting sheets then I reckon a clamp or two would not go astray. Have you seen this.....

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Scott, yes I have used the feeder with the rip fence, the cut is great as the feed speed is constant and so is the pressure.

You only need a slight bias towards the fence.

The issue you will run into is reach of the feeder, as the mounting bracket locates the feeder mount behind the saw table.

For narrow strips it's great...............Rod.

[James Zhu]

I have a slider.. I don't think the aluminum slider is higher than the cast table, but I should check ..

Rick, the sliding table is definitely higher than the cast iron table, otherwise, when you cut using sliding table, the cast iron table would drag the stock.

If the cast iron table top is flat within 0.001", it is possible to adjust the sliding table, so it is only 0.002" or 0.003" higher than the cast iron table. I would call that PERFECT.

I know you have a Martin slider, I am just curious about its sliding table height in relation to the cast iron table.

James